Machine for stringing drawing-dies upon wire



No. 6I9,723. Patented Feb. 2l, |899.

` C.' A. COWLES.

MACHINE FOR STRINGING DRAWING DIES UPON WIIE.l

` (Application filed Feb. 23, 1897.) (No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

' "'/A zu; @www N0. 6|9,723. Patented Feb. 2l, |899.. C. A. CWLES.

MACHIN FOR STRINGING DRAWING DIES UPON WIRE.

(Application led Feb. 23, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Shees-Shee 3.

THE Nnnms PUERS co. PHoTo-Lmam wAsHmamN, n. c.

UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. COWLES, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT.

MACH-INE FOR STRINGING DRAWING-DIES UPON WIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,723, dated February 21, 1899.

Application lecl February 23, 1897. Serial No. 624,692. (No model.)

To all whom, it potty concern:

. Be it known that I, CHARLES A. CowLEs, of Ansonia, county of New Haven, State of Conneoticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Stringing Drawing-Dies upon Wire, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

I will describe a machine embodying my improvement and then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation ot' a machine embodying my improvement, certain parts being broken away and others being shown in section. Fig. 2is a top view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken as indicated by the dotted line :c Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a portion of the machine, illustrating a modiiication. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a machine of modified formy embodying the improvement, certain parts being broken away and others being shown in section. Fig. 8 is a frontelevation of certain parts of the machine shown in Fig. 7, showing parts in different positions. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section at the plane of the dotted line u o, Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a top view of the machine. Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section taken as indicated by the dotted line w w, Fig. 7. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal vertical section of gripping-jaws comprised in the machine. Fig. 13 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 14. shows the wire with drawing-dies strung upon it as such wire will be taken from the machine.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A designates the framework, consisting of a front piece c', a rear piece a2, and cross-pieces or stretchers CL3. the framework a shaft B is j ournaled. On the front end of this shaft is loosely mounted a head C, which carries a pair of jaws C', these jaws being connected so as to be capable of a swinging movement and also a sliding movement in the direction of their length. As here shown, the head C has a center hub c', that fits upon the shaft B,.and at its circumference a In the front and rear pieces of f cylindric flange c2, that extends rearwardly. Inside the flange is one part c3 of a clutch C2, the other part c4 of this clutch being fitted to slide lengthwise of the shaft B and engage to rotate therewith by means of a spline. The clutch here shown is a ratchet-tooth clutch, the sliding part of which is controlled at the pleasure of the operator, and when the sliding part is properly shifted the head will be instantaneously released and be permitted to rotate freely in a reverse or opposite direction. The sliding part c4 of the clutch is adj usted lengthwise of the shaft by means of a lever c5, which is here shown as fulcrumed by a pin c to a bracket c7. At its upper end it is bifurcated and provided with pins to engage withV a circumferential groove in the part c4 of the clutch, and at its lower end'it is pivotally connected by means of a pin o8 with one end of a rod o9, which at its other end is connected by a pin 010 with a lever c, that serves to operate another clutch presently to be described. The levers c5 c, thus connected by the rod o9, may be operated in any suitable manner--as, for instance, by a foot-lever c1, which is fulcrumed by a pin c13 to a stand 014 and connected by a link 015 to the lever c5. It will be seen that the footlever c12 is of such shape that the attendant can by pressure of his foot upon different portions move the levers c5 c11 in either direction. I do not wish to confine myself to operating both the levers c5 C11 together, as illustrated, as a foot-lever c12 might be used for each independently of the other.

Upon the shaft B is affixed a gear-wheel b, and this engages with a gear-wheel b', affixed to a shaft b2, which is intended to be journaled in the front and rear pieces of the framework A, although in Fig. 3 it is shown as broken away, so as not to extend to the front piece of the framework. Upon the shaft b2 is also affixed a gear-wheel b3, which engages with a gear-wheel b4. This gear-wheel b4 is affixed to the hub of one part b5 of a clutch, whose other part h6 is aixed upon a shaft bl, that is journaled in the front and rear pieces c and a2 of the framework'A.. This is constantly driven, it being in the present instance provided with a pulley p, by which it may derive motion through a belt. The part b5 of the clutch is free to turn inde- IOO `sprocket-wheel to the shaft 1222.

pendently of the shaft 127, upon which it is mounted.

The clutch, as here shown, is of a kind which is well known in the art, and its part 125 has a split ring whose ends may be drawn together by the oscillation of an arm 128 to embrace the part 126 of the clutch. For oscillating the arm 122 in such a manner as to tighten the split ring I mount upon the shaft 127 a cone 129 in i such a manner that it maybe moved lengthwise of the shaft 122. A convenient means for moving the cone is a lever 121, fulcrumed by a pin 1211 to a bracket 1212, extending rearwardly from the front piece d of the framework A. This lever is bifurcated to embrace the cone and is pivotally connectedthereto by pins 1212. The lever is extended downwardly beneath the cone, so that it maybe acted on by a wedge 1214, which is supported upon a bracket 1212, extending rearwardly from the front piece d2' of the framework A. The purpose of this wedge is to automatically stop the head C from rotating, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. On the shaft 127 is aflixed a gear-wheel 1212, which engages with a gear-wheel 1217, that is affixed to a shaft 1212, which is j ournaled in the front and back pieces ct and 0,2 of the framework A. This shaft1212 operates the dies employed for pointing or swaging the end of the wire preparatory to drawing the wire through the drawing-dies. Any form of swaging device may be used in connection with my machine-such,forexampie, as the Dayton swaging-machine-and hence I do not deem it necessary to describe any particular swaging or pointing mechanism.

Upon the hub of the part 125 of the clutch at one side of the gear-wheel 124a sprocket-wheel 1212 is affixed. From it extends a sprocketchain 1220 to a sprocket-wheel 1221, mounted loosely upon a shaft 1222, that is journaled in any suitable framework-as for instance, in brackets extending from the front and back pieces a and d2 of the framework A. At one end of the hub of the sprocket-wheel is one part 1222 of a two-part ratchet-clutch. The` arm attached to the back piece d2 of the framework A. W'hen the part 1224 of the clutch` is` moved into engagement with that part of the clutch which is affixed to the sprocket-wheel 1221, rotary motion will be imparted by the Upon this shaft 1222 is aixed a windlass 1225, around and-1 from which a rope 122 may be wound and unwound. At one end of the windlass a ratchetwheel 1227 is provided, so as to turn with the This lever is fulcrumed by aA windlass, and with which coacts a pawl 1222, pivotally connected by a screw 1222 to a bracket extending from the front piece ct of the framework A. Normally this pawl 1222 is in engagement with the ratchet-wheel 1227, so that unless it is thrown out of engagement by the hand of the attendant the rope 1226 will be incapable of unwinding.

Affixed to the shaft 1222 is a pinion 1222, which engages with a gear-wheel 1240, that is loosely mounted upon a stud1211,carriedin the bracket extension on the part a2, and aiiixed to the :gear-wheel 1210 is a pinion 1242, which is in engagement with a gear-wheel 1212, loosely mounted on the shaft 1222. The gear-wheel 1242 is provided on its face with a dial 1211, and adjacent to the dial is affixed an index-finger 1245, also carried on the bracket extension.

s represents a hand-crank provided on the shaft 1222 for turning the windlass.

The rope 1226 extends around the guidepulley 1220, which is supported by a post 1221, extending upwardly from the door. From this guide-pulley the rope descends downwardly to support a weighted pulley 1222. After passing through this weighted pulley the rope extends upwardly to an arm 1222, which I have shown as extending from the post 1221. Upon the rope 1226 a projection 1224 is arranged. With this arrangement of parts the rope 1222, carrying the projection 1221,will when wound upon the windlass engage with the arm c1, carried by the slide-piece D, so that when a sufficient number of feet of wire have been drawn through the first die the slide-piece can be made to move forward and stop the rotating of the head. The mechanism operated by the slidepiece for stopping the rotation of the head consists of an arm C14, that projects from its rear to engage the wedge 121"1 and move it in such direction thatit will by acting upon the lever 1210 move the cone 122 away from` the arm 128. Thus the split ring of theclutch 125 122 will be loosened, so that motion will no longer be transmitted from the shaft 127 except to that shaft 1218 which operates the wire-pointing dies.

The shank of the wedge 1214 works in guides 1222. A shoulder 1226, formed at the junction of the wedge with its shank, acts against the guide 1225 to limit the return movement of the wedge, and consequently of the slide-piece.

Between the guide 1225 and the collar 1222, which is affixed to the shank of the wedge, a spring 1228 is coiled. This spring serves to move the Wedge in such a direction as to allow the lever 1210 to be manipulated to throw the cone 122 forward in order that it may disengage the two parts of the clutch 125 122. It also serves to move the slide-piece D back to `the starting position.

The operation of this form of device is as follows: The rope 12211 is wou nd upon the windlass by the hand-crank s until the projection ,1222 is in such a position that when the windlass is operated by the hereinbefore-described mechanism the projection will engage with IIO lthe arm d to move the sliding piece D forward. The end of the wire is pointed in the swaging mechanism carried by the machine and its end inserted through the die, which is placed in the die-holder E, and the swaged or pointed end gripped by the jaws carried by the head. The machine is then started by pulling down the lever Z940 to throw the cone into engagement with the split collar, so that the disk Z95 will be rotated. At the same time the foot-lever 042 is operated to throw the clutch c4 into engagement with the clutch-face carried by the head and the clutch Z924 into engagement with the clutch-face Z923. As the head is rotated it draws the wire through the die, and at the same time the rope is wound upon the windlass to cause the projection Z934 to engage with the arm CZ. As soon as the projection Z934 comes into engagement with the arm d the slide D is moved forward, which in turn causes the wedge-shaped block Z944 to engage with the lower end of the lever Z940 to move the cone Z90 out of engagement with the split ring and in this manner stop the machine. The wire coiled upon the head is loosened by the reverse movement of the head and removed therefrom with a die remaining on the wire, and the eoil,with the die, is supported on either the hook d2 or d3. The wire is again pointed by the swaging device carried by the machine, a smaller die placed on the wire,and the operation repeated.

It will be understood that after the machine y is stopped the pawl Z928 is moved out of engagement with the ratchet Z927 to allow theY weighted pulley Z932 to return the projection,

and thus permit the wedge Z913 to be returned to its normal position by the spring Z938.

The jaws C are formed upon levers 010 C47, which are pivoted together between their ends by a pin 048. The jaws are at one end of the levers. At the other end the levers are made to embrace a wrist-pin 020, extending from the rotary head C. The surfaces of the levers which embrace this wrist-pin converge toward the extremities of the levers, so that any strain lengthwise on the levers will cause the wristpin to have a cam-like action on the ends of the levers with which it coacts. This of course will cause the jaws at the other end of the levers to 'grasp the end of wire which is between them more tightly. Adjacent to the jaws is a holder E for a drawing-die e. The end of a piece of wire to be drawn having been pointed is passed through a drawing-die, and while the latter is supported by the dieholder E the end of the wire is placed between the jaws C'. The machine being started the wire will be drawn through the drawing-die for any desired length.- Adjacent to the jaws C the rim o0 of the rotary head Gis provided with an incline or notch 024, that drags ythe wire onto the outer 'surface of said rim c2. The wire will be wound by the rotation of the head around this rim c2 until a suicient amount has been drawnthrough the die which is at the time supportedby thedie-holder E. When the machine is automatically stopped in the manner described, the rotary head C suddenly reverses, caused by a strain upon the wire. Perhaps sometimes the ratchet-clutch c3 c4 conduces to this. One diametrical half of the head C is made heavier than the other, so that when it stops its movement in the reverse direction the jaws C will be above the shaft B. This is due to recessing one portion of the head. The recess thus formed is advantageous for accommodating the jaws as the head rotates. This reverse motion of the head causes the jaws to loosen their hold upon the wire, and as the coils by their resilience will enlarge they are vreadily removed from the head. A coil having the die upon it will be held upon the hook d2, and the other coils may be held in the hand of the operator in the position of the coil w in Fig. l. The operation is then repeated with a die of smaller size, and so on until the wire is threaded through the proper number of dies, from where it is taken to a wire-drawing machine and strung thereon in the usual manner.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, I need only add to the description already given of my machine that the slide-piece D has attached to it the scale d5, the attachment being made, as here shown, by the arm fl. The face of the scale d5 is grooved and has a slide-piece 6X7, carrying the arm d, fitted to it in such a waythat it may be clamped in different posi-A tions by means of a thumb-nut d0. The arm cl may be conveniently adjusted on the scale by means of the slide and thumb-nut. A The operation of this form of device is similar to that described in connection with the form of machine shown in Figs. l to 4. The arm cl is adjusted on the scale to the position where the projection Z934 is to engage it to move forward the slide-piece D and put in operation the mechanism hereinbcfore described to stop the machine.

I will now turn to Figs. 7, 8, 9, l0, and ll. Here the shaftB has combined with it the rotary lhead C in the same manner as already described in connection with Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, and it also has affixed to it a gear-wheel Z9. This gear-wheel engages with the gear-wheel Z940, which surrounds the shaft Z947, having affixed to it a gear-wheel Z948, that engages with a gear-wheel Z940, affixed to a shaft Z950. shaft Z950 has affixed to it a belt-pulley by which motion may be transmitted to this shaft. With the shaft Z947 the clutch Z95, Z945, and Z98 is combined in the same way that the said clutch was combined with the shaft Z97in the example of my improvement illustrated by Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4. This clutch is controlled by a lever Z910 and a wedge Z944, and these parts operate as already described in connection with the example of my improvement illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4. The gear-wheel Z940, which I have described as surrounding the shaft Z947, is affixed to the hub of the part 195 of the clutch. It will be-understood that when the lever Z940 This IOO

IIO

is suitably shifted by hand or by the wedge Z9174 it will disengage the part b5 of the clutch, and hence the gear-wheel Z345, from the shaft Z347 and will thereby stop the rotation of the shaft B and head C. The wedge Z214 has its shank supported by the guide 651 and has affixed to it two collars 552 and Z955. These collars coact with the arm d, which is aflixed to the slide-piece D. The collar Z252 limits the movement of the wedge in one direction by coming in contact with the guide Z951. The collar Z953 and the arm d contact, and the latter moves the wedge forward in the proper direction to stop the rotation of the head C by acting upon the lever Z910. A spring Z254 surrounds the shank of the wedge between the guide-bracket Z155 and the collar Z355. This spring moves the wedge into inoperative position and also, through the contact of the collar Z355 with the arm d, starts the movement of the slide-piece D in the direction away from the rotary head C. The die-holder E supports the drawing-die e to be threaded. As here shown, the die-holder is pivotally connected with the front piece of the framework A by means of a bolt @10. The end of the wire is pointed and passed through the die and is grasped by the jaws C. The rotation of the head C winds up the wire upon it, drawing it through the die e. After the coils of Wire have been released from the rotary head they will be hung upon the hook d10, as already described in connection with the tirst example of my improvement, and the operation repeated.

If preferred, the scale mechanism described in connection with the stringing mechanism may be dispensed with and the following arrangement of parts employed, which are shown in Fig. 7: The slide-piece D is provided with a drum d10 and with a bifurcated protuberance du, which may also support the die. In this form the end of the wire is pointed, as usual, passed through the die, and gripped by the jaws of the clamp C'. The machine is then started to draw a sufticient amount of wire through the die, which may be determined by the diameter of the head C or the number of coils of wire drawn around the head, after which the machine is stopped and the drawn wire removed. The end of the wire is again pointed and gripped by the jaws of the clamp, the first die being held by the bifurcated protuberance d, carried on the slide-piece D, which for this operation is moved away from the head a certain distance and a portion of the drawn wire between the die and the head is wrapped around the drum d10. The machine is started and the wire drawn through the die until the wire tightens around the drum d10, at which time the slide-piece D will be drawn toward the head until it reaches the end of its movement, at which time the machine is stopped and the wire drawn through removed from the drum. This operation is again repeated until all the dies are strung upon the wire, it

being understood that the slide-piece D is moved back before the beginning of each drawing subsequent to the iirst, the die placed in the holder du, and a portion of the wire Wrapped around the drum d10. With this arrangement I have found in practice that the dies will be strung accurately upon the wire, so that the wire can be readily placed in position on a drawing-machine.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a machine for Stringing dies upon wire, the combination of a drawing-head capable of rotation in two directions, means for rotating said head in one direction to draw the wire through a die, a device for controlling said means to stop the further rotation of the head and permit the head to rotate freely in a reverse or opposite direction to relax the tension upon the wire, and automatic means for gripping and releasing the end of the wire, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for strin ging dies upon wire, the combination of a drawing-head capable of rotation in two directions,jaws carried by said head for gripping the end of the wire as the head is rotated in one direction, means for rotating said head in one direction to draw the wire through a die, a ratchet-clutch in said means adapted when thrown into action to instantly start said head in the drawing direction and when thrown outof action to instantly stop the rotation of the head to permit it to rotate freely in a reverse or opposite direction, and a lever mounted independently of said head for throwing said clutch into and out of action, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for stringin g dies upon Wire, the combination of a drawing-head capable of rotation in two directions, means for rotating said head in one direction to draw the wire through a die, and a device for controlling said means to stop the further rotation of the head and permit the head to rotate freely in a reverse or opposite direction to relax the tension upon the wire; gripping-jaws, hinged together and having cam-surfaces, and a projection carried by the head and cooperating with said cam-surfaces, so that when the head rotates in the drawing direction the jaws are actuated to grip the wire and. when the head rotates in the reverse direction they are permitted to release the wire, substantially as specified.

4. In a machine for Stringing dies upon wire, the combination with a rotating head provided with jaws, of a die-holder, means for rotating the head, a ratchet-clutch in said means for instantly stopping the rotation of said head, and a friction-clutch also in said means for gradually starting the rotation of said head, substantially as speciiied.

5. In a machine for stringing drawing-dies upon wire, the combination of a rotating head carrying gripping-jaws, means for rotating said head comprising a clutch, and a sliding piece for carrying the Wire adapted to operate said clutch when drawn toward the head to ICO IIO

prevent the further rotation of the head, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for str-inging drawing-dies on wire, the combination ot' a drawing-head provided with gripping-jaws, means for rotatin g said drawing-head comprising a clutch, the die to be strung on the wire, and a piece adapted to slide toward the head at intervals and to operate the clutch to prevent further rotation of said head, substantially as described. Y

7. The combination of a rotary head made heavier on one diametrical half than the other, a pair of jaws connected with the lighter diametrical half of said head, and means comprising a clutch for rotating said head, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with a rotary head provided with jaws, means for rotating the said head in one direction and permitting it to move in another direction, of a piece carrying supports for wire threaded with drawing-dies adapted to engage the means for rotating the head to stop the rotation of the head, and means independent of the wire for moving said piece toward the rotating head, substantially as described.

9. The combination wit-h a rotary head provided with jaws, and means for rotating the said head in one direction and permitting it to move in another direction, of a piece carrying supports for the wire threaded with drawing-dies, means for moving said piece toward the head, and a clutch located in the said means for rotating the head adapted to be operated to prevent the further rotation of the head, substantially as specified.

l0. The combination with a rotary head provided with jaws, and means for rotating the said head' in one direction and permitting it to move in another direction, of a piece carrying supports for wire threaded with drawingdies, said piece being movable toward and from the rotary head, and a stop mechanism for the rotary head operated by said movable piece, substantially as specified.

11. The combination with a head provided with gripping-jaws and capable of rotation in two directions, one to move a wire along and the other to relax the tension upon the wire, a slldmg piece carrying a wire strung with drawing-dies and adapted in its movement toward the head to prevent the movement of the head for drawing, and a scale for determining the forward movement of the piece, substantially as described.

l2. In a machine for stringingdrawing-dies upon wire, the combination of a rotary head provided with gripping-jaws, means for operating said head, and a slide-piece for supportingthe wire threaded with dies, said piece being movable toward and away from the head and adapted when moved forward to stop the rotating of said head, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for sti-inging drawing-dies upon wire, the combination of a drawinghead capable of rotation in two directions, operating mechanism for said head comprising a clutch, a die-holder, and a device adapted to be moved toward the drawing-head when the wire is being drawn for operating the clutch to stop the rotation of the head and allow it to rotate in a reverse direction, substantially as shown and described.

14. In a machine for Stringing drawing-dies on wire, the combination of a drawing-head capable of rotation in two directions, operating mechanism for said head comprising a clutch, a die-holder, a device adapted to be moved toward the drawing-head when the wire is being drawn through the die, and means in connection with said device'for causing it to act on the clutch at a predetermined period to stop the rotation of the head in the drawing direction, substantially as described.

15. In a machine for threading wire through dies, the combination of a die-holder, means for drawing the wire through a die in said holder, means for pointing or swaging the wire preparatory to threading the wire through the die, said pointing or swaging means being driven by the wire drawing means, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses;

CHARLES A. COWLES.

Witnesses ANTHONY GREF, F. ROBERTS. 

